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Seat-hoggers..............
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Hydro
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The 395 overhead racks are actually quite good too, I've managed to fit quite a large shoulder bag in them. The Electrostars are very poor for luggage. I think in the driving coaches the seated area nearest the non-driving end don't even have overhead racks. Certainly the one I was on yesterday didn't have any luggage provision at all in the latter quarter of the coach. I had to wedge most of my luggage under the seat in a pretty haphazard and crushed fashion. If I had anything larger then it'd have been a door area job, to avoid blocking the aisle or taking up a seat.
VTPreston_Tez
Member
I think that if there are no seats available, you can get the guard to sort them out; if they refuse the train can stop at the next station whether meant to be served or not and boot them off (tightness ftw)
MidnightFlyer
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Or continue to the next booked call where the BTP can meet the train...
VTPreston_Tez
Member
London-Preston non stop. Explain how that would happen, standing up for 2 hours because some selfish guy decides to hog 2 seats...I'd make it call at WTJ or MKC to get someone on in that case
MidnightFlyer
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I doubt anyone would be willing to pay for the delay incurred from that!
benk1342
Member
I also commute in and out of King's Cross on FCC, and I have found that all you have to do is say "excuse me" and stare patiently at the seat and people move their stuff.
Maybe it's just that I'm a "pushy American", but I think if you just ask you'll find people are accommodating, especially on commuter services where many of the travellers are professionals.
VTPreston_Tez
Member
Complimentary pens? 5% off everything at the shop?
The thing I usually find that's a bit of a pain (and one reason I sometimes have my bag on the seat alongside during quiet periods) is if you have to get up and manoeuvre your way to get your lunch/ticket out of your jacket pocket/laptop/notebook/whatever from a bag up on the rack. It's OK if there's room under the seat, but sometimes there just isn't. Even worse on Voyagers, of course. Must annoy the person in the other seat as well.
BTW, I have been guilty of sitting in the seat next to my reserved one, usually because it's an empty window seat and I've been given the aisle.
BTW, I have been guilty of sitting in the seat next to my reserved one, usually because it's an empty window seat and I've been given the aisle.
Why didn't you just request a window seat?
I always do, not always successfully. I'm usually next to either a no-show or a reservation starting somewhere else.
button_boxer
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The actual time taken to make an extra stop may be small but on a busy route like the WCML pathing is everything - 2 minutes delay at Watford could leave you half an hour late by Glasgow because you missed your path and ended up following a freight train through the Lake District...
RichmondCommu
Established Member
I will confess to putting my bag on the seat next to me when the train is reasonably quiet. However as the train starts to fill up I will move my bag to the floor. I must say though that I do feel uncomfortable when complete strangers sit down next to me and then insist on trying to talk to me. Thank god for the Tube where people keep themselves to themselves!
I actually get more nervous if they don't. Even if it's just a polite "Good morning" or "Is this seat taken?", it's better than someone just turning up and sitting down, especially if there's not much room and they edge up to you.
I never speak to the other person if I have to sit next to them on public transport, and I'd really prefer they didn't speak to me, unless it's just a "What's the time"/"is the this the right train for...." thing.
MK Tom
Established Member
I ended up getting into a journey-long conversation with the old lady who sat next to me today. It may be a bit awkward at first but in the long run it makes for a much nicer journey and goes a short way towards restoring my faith in the human race!
transmanche
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Marton
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Not just on those, just the same with a suitcase on any of the 2*2 pacers in the NE.
There is a space at one the end of the unit, but all too often the inward facing bench seat is down and someone sitting there, or its full of bikes.
I'm not a "people" person. I'd rather just look out of the window or read a book.
It is, but the lower part (floor to first bar) is ever so slightly short for the largest type of suitcases that we deal with - most have to be laid on their sides.
trainophile
Established Member
We noticed that when we took our suitcases from Hereford down to Southampton to go on a cruise. That was an anxious journey - we only had 10 mins to change (up lift, over bridge and down to platform) at Newport too. Was praying lift wasn't out of order.
On my other more regular journeys with just normal baggage, another consideration is whether those of us of more mature years (and female, in my case) can actually manage to get our bag up to or down from the overhead racks. Luckily I'm almost always travelling off peak so can mostly sit in a double seat, one of which I would of course vacate in the event of other passengers standing.
I don't like to put my travel bag overhead just in case my flask of coffee leaks - the stopper is a bit temperamental if I haven't quite got it on the correct screw thread!
Slightly off topic, but another bugbear of mine is when people in facing seats won't share the foot room, so I end up with my feet scrunched under my own seat because the opposite person has plonked their size 12s right up to my space. Very tempting to tread on their toes "oh, I'm sorry I didn't notice you were taking up all the space"
.Should I mention that Southeastern has no big luggage storage on-board the 375s and the overhead "luggage rack" is tiny to a point that a normal load small rucksack can be sort of hanging off the edge. also don't forget that the floor is quite often disguising. The only place for big cases are the doorways
crosscity
Member
If you're sat in an open carriage you only have to look around you to get a feel for how crowded your bit of the train is.
I prefer to have my bag on a seat to access reading material, snacks and chocolate bars etc. If there are plenty of free seats I will leave the bag there but if the carriage is busy I will place it on my lap when at a station. I would never put a bag on a seat on a crowded train.
Long established train etiquette is to leave a bag or coat on a seat when visiting the buffet or toilet.
I find feet on seats much more irritating than bags. Most people will move their bags if you are looking for a seat. You shouldn't have to ask someone to take their feet off.
Yes, I already mentioned that.
Smudger105e
Member
Recently I boarded an EMT dervice from St Pancras to Derby with my 4 year iold grandson. It's always easier sitting at a table, but all the tables were taken by single occupants.
I selected a table and sat opposite a guy who was preparing his laptop for the journey, he took one look at me giving my grandon a bottle of juice and a sticky sandwich and he decided to share a table with someone else further up the coach!
I selected a table and sat opposite a guy who was preparing his laptop for the journey, he took one look at me giving my grandon a bottle of juice and a sticky sandwich and he decided to share a table with someone else further up the coach!
A related problem is when you are travelling in a group of two or more, a train can be only just over half full, but you can't get seats together.
This is a particular problem on LM services during the weekday rush hours when nearly all passengers are solo commuters and each want (not entirely unreasonably) to start a new row to themselves.
It's disgraceful that LM operates long-distance services and will not provide seat reservations. (Not to mention lack of catering, wifi, luggage racks, working toilets, power points, carriages that don't freeze/overheat when doors are opened and a decent first class.)
Amtrak in the US have one solution to this problem for people without reservations. Some sections of unreserved seats are designated for solo travellers and other sections for groups. That way, solo travellers have to start doubling up on their rows as their section starts to fill up before they are allowed to overflow into the other area.
This is a particular problem on LM services during the weekday rush hours when nearly all passengers are solo commuters and each want (not entirely unreasonably) to start a new row to themselves.
It's disgraceful that LM operates long-distance services and will not provide seat reservations. (Not to mention lack of catering, wifi, luggage racks, working toilets, power points, carriages that don't freeze/overheat when doors are opened and a decent first class.)
Amtrak in the US have one solution to this problem for people without reservations. Some sections of unreserved seats are designated for solo travellers and other sections for groups. That way, solo travellers have to start doubling up on their rows as their section starts to fill up before they are allowed to overflow into the other area.
Temple Meads
Established Member
When I first travelled into London I was a bit surprised by people just sitting down next to me without a single comment, same on Bristol commuter trains at rush hour.
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